Fragrance oils, also known as aroma oils, aromatic oils, and flavor oils, are blended
synthetic Synthetic things are composed of multiple parts, often with the implication that they are artificial. In particular, 'synthetic' may refer to:
Science
* Synthetic chemical or compound, produced by the process of chemical synthesis
* Synthetic o ...
aroma compounds or natural
essential oil
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...
s that are diluted with a carrier like
propylene glycol,
vegetable oil, or
mineral oil.
To
allergic or otherwise sensitive people, synthetic fragrance oils are often less desirable than plant-derived essential oils as components of perfume. Essential oils, widely used in society, emit numerous
volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Some of these VOCs are considered as potentially hazardous under federal regulations However, synthetic versions of the same compound as a natural essential oil are usually very comparable. Furthermore, natural oils are in many cases significantly more expensive than their synthetic equivalents.
Aromatic oils are used in
perfumery, candles,
cosmetics,
flavoring of
food
Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is inge ...
.
Some include (out of a very diverse range):
*
Ylang ylang
*
Vanilla
*
Sandalwood
*
Cedar wood
*
Mandarin orange
*
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfa ...
*
Lemongrass
*
Rosehip
*
Peppermint
See also
*
Perfume
*
Essential oil
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...
*
Aroma compound
*
Fragrance allergy
References
{{Reflist
Essential oils
Perfume ingredients